Former principal who accused city of revenge porn wins settlement

Former Robert Wagner High School Principal Annie Seifullah, 39, said she's a victim of revenge porn has won a settlement from the city. (Debbie Egan-Chin / New York Daily News)

A former Queens high school principal who claims she was victimized with revenge porn by an ex-boyfriend — and then by the city school system — won a settlement from the city for gender discrimination.

The city settled Annie Seifullah’s suit for an undisclosed sum in September. As part of the settlement, Seifullah resigned from her post in the public school system.

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Seifullah, 40, says ex-boyfriend Robert Sofia planted private photos on her work laptop computer of her having sex, and then gave the images to school officials and the media in a twisted plot to ruin her career at Robert Wagner High School.

Even though a city investigator believed that Sofia, the Long Island City school's former PTA president, likely planted the images, the Education Department pushed to dismiss her for having the photos on her work computer.

A hearing officer in December rejected the city's attempt to fire Seifullah over the X-rated pics. In April, Seifullah sued the city for gender discrimination.

Seifullah, who’s now attending law school, called the settlement a vindication – but said the city needs to do more to protect workers who report harassment and gender discrimination.

“There is no reason to believe what happened to me won't happen to other female employees,” Seifullah said.

“Until the de Blasio administration takes a hard look at how they handle claims of sexual harassment and assault, we can’t believe the city takes sexual harassment of its employees seriously,” she added.

Sofia denied the charges Seifullah made against him.

“Her libelous claims against me remain false and are legally actionable,” he said.

Seifullah’s attorney Carrie Goldberg said that the Department of Education worsened the impact of Seifullah’s experience as a victim of revenge porn by trying to fire her.

“The Department of Education’s retaliatory and discriminatory actions magnified the damage our client’s abuser inflicted on her,” said Goldberg, a prominent victims’ rights attorney who’s litigated multiple cases against the city school system.

“They wasted the career of a rising star in the New York City school system at a time when educators like her are sorely needed,” Goldberg added. “Being a target of stalking and harassment destroys much more than a person’s peace and safety.”

Education Department officials declined to comment on the outcome of Seifullah’s case.

A city Law Department spokesman said settling the case was in the city’s best interest.